Fears and Promises
by shadowninja2000
Summary: Eveli is an 18 year old Faerie wizard with eight forms of Solid Script Magic under her belt. Rantai is an 18 year old wandering Mage with a magic that allows any tattoo he has to become a weapon. When these two accidentally happen upon each other, Eveli swear to help Rantai and Rantai swears to protect her. However, these vows may be more than they bargained for...T for violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Me (shadowninja2000): Hi everyone! So, this is my newest work, a collab story with the amazing...The Tiny Foxtail! Give her a round of applause for working with me!**

**Eveli: *claps* Yaaaay, Foxtail!**

**Me: Aiight, I know it's past Halloween, I don't care, I love Halloween and the themes associated with it! I dunno, I'm really weird and IT'S A CELTIC HOLIDAY! NOT OF THE DEVIL!**

**Hikorai: Start writing, woman!**

**Me: Right! *types away***

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**Eveli's POV**

"Western Solid Script: Sword Slash!" A sword materialized in my hands in the shape of the word sword and I used the last of my strength to hurl it at my attacker. Luckily, it hit, right in the shoulder. The man laughed cruelly and yanked it out, throwing it to the ground. I felt pain wrack through my body and I collapsed to my knees.

"I-I'm just not strong enough..." I sobbed. The man grinned, showing teeth filed to sharp points and tipped with gold. I felt a shiver run up my spine, both from the cold and the glare he was giving me. He formed a ball of shadows and pure darkness in his palm.

"Say goodbye, little princess!" he snarled. Instead of goodbye, I opened my mouth and tilted my head to the sky to scream for the one person I knew would hear me this far away.

"RANTAAIIII!" I felt hot tears streaming down my face. I waited for the ball to hit me and end my life. I had no strength left to dodge and, through blurry eyes, I could see my still-sheathed sword yards away. The ball seemed to be going in slow motion when suddenly, a loud voice rang out across the icy mountaintop.

"Tattoo Magic: Chains!" I looked up, tears still coming in a hot rush from my eyes.

"R-Rantai..." I whispered. An arrowhead buried itself in the ground in front of me and another chain lashed out at the ball, smacking it far away from me.

"NOT WHILE I'M ALIVE!" I heard my friend's voice shout. A chain whipped across the tundra, hitting the assassin in the face and leaving a burning gash. The boy had sort of spikey hair, red with gray streaks. He wielded two chains with arrowheads on the tips like a pro. The last move the other one made was magic; he formed a ball of shadows, a small one, and threw it right past the redhead. It flew towards me and, before I could even think of dodging, it collided with my chest. I felt all air leave my body and all energy as well. I was completely numb and couldn't hear anything, feel anything, as I fell to the ground, my knees giving out.

I hit the ground on my side, almost blacking out from the pain. The redhead chained the other guy down with his magic and dashed over to my side, slipping on the ice once or twice. The last thing I saw was the redhead's concerned face inches above mine. His lips were moving frantically and his eyes stayed with mine, but I couldn't hear anything. He put his forehead against mine, closed his eyes and I swear I saw a tear fall from his tightly shut eyes before the scene went dark.

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"Eveli? Eveli, come on, we know you're in there!" I opened my eyes blearily. I was sitting in a bar chair and the master, not the boy, was right in my face. I smiled halfway. I felt wet on my face and lifted my hand to my temple. I felt the hair that I kept there to cover my scar; apparently, the fragile scar had split open again because my bangs were wet. My hand dropped to my side. I sat up, blinking several times to clear my head. They gave me a few minutes; even Wakaba put out his cigar so I could breathe.

"H-how long?" I choked out. Master turned back to look at me and he smiled.

"Only a few minutes this time, Eveli. They're getting shorter. But..." He and Wakaba exchanged a look. Kinana put her hand on my arm and I looked at her. She had a look of knowledge and understanding, but also a fear.

"Do you remember anything this time, Eveli-chan?" She asked sweetly. I started to shake my head then stopped. Tall. Red hair with gray streaks. Tattoo Magic: Chain.

"Yeah. Only bits and pieces...There was a boy. He was tall, easily clearing six feet. His hair was kinda spiky and it was red, natural red, with gray streaks. He had tattoos of chains running up both his arms and he could use that as his magic." My head started to pound and I shook my head, looking up at my guildmates. "I'm sorry...I can't remember anything else..." I trailed off sadly. Master shrugged then nodded.

"It's fine, Eveli. There's someone who wants to see you..." He looked behind him and a pink blur jetted past him, ruffling even his close cropped hair and mustache. The bundle of fur rammed her head into my chest and I lost all the breath in my lungs. I coughed and my Exceed, Hikorai, looked up at me with tears hidden behind a stern expression.

"Stop doing that, Eveli! You scare me when you do that!" She reprimanded. But she didn't let go of me; I tucked my knees to my chest so she was cradled in my lap. I wrapped my arms around her small, furry body.

"I'm fine now, Hikorai. That's all that matters, right?" I asked, holding her up and smiling. She sniffed, trying to hide it with a scoff.

"Of course, but you have to get this visionary stuff under control! We're going to be out on a job someday and that will hit you and then were will we be?" She exclaimed sourly. I chuckled with a smile and wrapped her in my arms, standing up. Kinana patted my arm comfortingly. I smiled at her and smoothed out the skirt on my waitress dress. I thought back to how I even joined this run-down, ramshackle old guild.

_It was...about a year ago, now. I'd been part of Sabertooth, a new guild. I was one of their newest members, the sixth that no one ever heard about. Sting and Rogue, the twin Dragons, who murdered their own parents. Rufus Lore, the beautiful poet with no soul. Orga Nangear, the bodybuilder with a horrible voice and a conscious just as wrecked. Minerva Orlando, the sadistic daddy's girl. Then, there was me. Jiemma took no pity on me when accepting me into his guild; I was 10 then. It's been eight years since then. I had no magic, but quickly learned how to control the written word, and have now mastered up to eight formes of the Solid Script Magic, including English (Western Solid Script), my native Japanese (Easern Solid Script), and symbols as well (Oriental Solid Script). Sabertooth technically doesn't have a ranking system, as no weaklings are allowed. However, Rogue once confided to me that I was one of the strongest in the guild and that Jiemma would be sure to keep me close. He actually talked back then, Rogue did._

_Anyways, I was shocked to learn that news and told him that my sole purpose to learn magic at all was so that I would be able to protect myself when I was alone. He told me I was more than capable of that, and that he and Sting would be honored to face me once I found a suitable partner. I took this into consideration and always watched them, wondering what a partner would really be. I got along with almost everyone in Saber because of my personality and my willingness to find the best in everyone, but I didn't have any really close friends. No one worthy of calling my partner. I suppose I should have expected the excommunication when I so foolishly went on a mission Minerva had claimed. I got it done but found I was no longer welcomed at Sabertooth when I got back. Thankfully, it was on that mission that I'd met and "adopted" Hikorai. I went inside and collected my few possessions, not noticing the sword that had been snuck into my things. Jiemma tried to force me to remove my mark with my own magic, having me strip down in front of everyone. However, when he inspected my body, he noticed I didn't have the guild mark. I had erased it already._

_That only angered him more and he struck me across the face. He shouted at me and struck me more, and I'm proud to say that I kept my head held high and my eyes firmly set on his the entire time. The final strike came, not with his hand, as the rest, but with a knife. He slit across my forehead, drawing blood instantly. I endured it patiently, waiting till he was through, though the pain was blinding. He asked if I had anything to say to the rest of my guild before I left. I said I did, turned around, locked eyes with Rogue and said, "Once I find him, I'll be back." Both Dragons knew what I was talking about, but neither wanted to get me in any more trouble, so they kept silent. I turned back around to face Jiemma's "throne" and spat at his feet. Then, I gathered my clothes and walked out._

_I'd heard that a guild was grieving the loss of 20 members. I decided to go to them, as I felt a pull. I'd had a vision about a salmon haired boy, with power more than equivalent to Sting and Rogue's. I saw him let loose a terrifying roar and knew he was a Fairy. I knew they'd help me find my partner, and then I could challenge Sting and Rogue. Then I could win. I found the sword about a day after I set out for Fairy Tail, when Hikorai was pawing through my things and found it. It was beautiful, a shining silver with swirls of darkness decorating the blade and the hilt. On the hilt was a single gem, a small star sapphire that glinted beautifully in the sunlight and positively shone in the darkness. With it came a note._ For your defense. From, Your Dragons, Sting and Rogue._ I sheathed the sword in a case I had and attached it to my belt. It has never been unsheathed for battle._

"Eveli! Alzack and Bisca will be back soon! Romeo too!" Kinana said from the kitchen. I smiled and set Hikorai down on the table. I took a deep breath, taking in my surroundings. When I'd finally made it to Fairy Tail and told my story, the Master couldn't wait to accept me into their guild; he was falling at my feet to join them. So, I was inducted. When I found out how Twilight Ogre was bullying them, I stood up for my new guildmates. I defeated one of the teams sent to collect single-handedly, only to have the Master tell me to not do that, as it wasn't an issue that could be solved by force. I relented to him, quickly taking the place of part waitress, part disciplinarian. The master and Wakaba told me on several occasions that I was a mixture of two girls, a Mirajane Strauss and an Erza Scarlet. I'd heard of both women before and felt honored to be compared to them: the demon Mirajane, who'd been so devastated by the loss of her little sister she'd lost almost all her magic power but regained it soon after the guild war with Phantom Lord. Era Scarlet, the strongest woman in Fairy Tail, the Wizard in Armor, and perhaps the most famous of all Fairy Tail's crew.

I was pulled out of my flashback by something shattering on the floor. I looked up from where I'd been staying at the floor to see a young man sprawled out across our guild floor, near the door with a very angry Romeo shooting fireballs at him. I rushed over, being closest, and grabbed Romeo by the shoulder, distracting him.

"Romeo! What happened?" I asked sternly. Romeo opened his mouth to respond but a short laugh came from the boy on the floor. He got up.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, milady." He gave me a two-fingered salute. "I'm afraid this would be my fault. I was asking around for Fairy Tail and I suppose that angered the lad in some way," The male chuckled and met my eyes. I raised an eyebrow at Romeo, who looked to be trying to contain tears. He looked at the ground, ignoring my stern glare at him.

"He was askin' about Mira, Eveli. Said he had a debt to pay, or somethin'." Romeo choked out. I mentally facepalmed; clearly, the male was not from Magnolia, as the disappearance of Mira, along with the rest of the Tenrou gang, was spread everywhere on the continent. The Master excused himself and the rest of the guild fell silent, except for some sobs coming from a back room. I let go of Romeo, my eyes glued to the ground. Mirajane...I looked up at the young man, subconsciously noting that he was a redhead, and smiled sadly.

"Well...You may want to sit down." He eyed me suspiciously but took a seat.

Well, you see, Mira, along with nineteen others, are supposedly dead. They've been gone for about seven years now," I said. His eyes widened.

"O-oh, uh...I-I'm sorry," he stammered. "I...I didn't know," he said quietly. I touched his hand. He looked at me and gray met brown as our eyes met. I smiled and he dropped his gaze.

"Clearly, you're from out of town. It's fine, you didn't know. But...I'd leave it alone." I withdrew my hand and sat it in my lap. I was about to ask his name when Hikorai flew over.

"Eveli, is he hitting on you?" She asked with a glare at the redhead. She alighted on the table and placed herself between me and the redhead, crossing her arms and folding back her wings.

"Because you know I don't like _males _of this species talking to you alone," She spat, still glaring. The redhead leaned back, away from my angry Exceed. She eyed him warily with a scowl and his eyes flicked over to me, probably asking how to deal with her. Hikorai noticed and looked back at me. I bit my lip to suppress a grin. Hikorai screeched and pounced on the redhead, clawing at his face. He brought his hands up to protect his face and shouted. My hand flew to my mouth to stifle my scream.

"Hikorai, there's no need for that! He didn't do anything!" I said, grabbing her around the middle and hugged her to my chest.

"I am so sorry! She doesn't like guys, ever since Saber," I said quickly. I rapped on Hikorai's skull and have her a confused look.

"It's nothing, Eveli. Don't worry about it," Hikorai said, sheathing her claws back in her fluffy paws.

"It's not nothing when you start clawing someone's face!" I exclaimed, perhaps more harshly than I should have. Hikorai looked away with a huff and I set her down. My gaze returned to the redhead. His gaze flicked quickly away, which confused me. I put it aside.

"So, what's your name?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. He looked back at me.

"Rantai. And yours, little princess?" He asked. I smiled.

"My name's Eveli and this," I gestured to my pink Exceed, "is Hikorai. It's nice to meet you!" I said, smiling.

"You as well. If you don't mind me saying, Hikorai has quite the...overwhelming presence..." He trailed off, hand going to one of the scratch wounds on his face. I bit my lip.

"I'm sure I could fix that," I started. Just then, the door to the guild slammed open.

"WE'RE HOOOME!" In the doorway stood four Faeries; Diana Azure, Kira Eteré, Inazu Drayer, and our resident Dragon Slayer, Asui Metai. Said Dragon Slayer strode into the guild hall and, spotting me, grinned and walked over. He rested a hand on the wood table and gave me a goofy grin.

"Hi, Eveli! Have a vision today?" He asked, gesturing to my forehead. I gave him a confused look.

"Yeah, how did you-" I was cut off by a laugh from the white haired boy.

"I can smell the blood, remember?" He said, tapping my forehead. I brushed his hand off and he chucked again. He glanced over at Rantai, who looked vaguely uncomfortable.

"Oi, Diana, Kira, Inazu! Lookie!" He shouted, despite the guild being super small. Inazu looked over with disinterest and strode over to the job board. Diana looked surprised that there was someone in guild that she didn't know and Kira smiled shyly, walking over in Diana's shadow, her four keys jingling against her belt as she walked.

"Just travelling, I assume?" Diana asked, crossing her arms. Kit hid behind Diana and waved a little. Rantai nodded. He seemed to be making a conscientious effort to not run, by the way his breathing escalated and his leg bounced up and down rapidly. I recognized the symptoms of social anxiety; for a long time after Saber, I couldn't stand the presence of another human. Fairy Tail helped me over come that, and I swore to myself then and there that I would help Rantai get over his fear as well.

"Hey Rantai." He looked over at me.

"Would you go on a job with me?"

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** Me: WOO HOO! Finished! Now, Foxtail-sama, it's up to your expertise!**

**Eveli, Hikorai, Me: REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2: Astromer's Ruin

**Me: Hi! FISH, WHY AN I DO EXPRESS ABOUT THIS COLLAB! I LOVE IT! SO MUCH THAT I DON'T RAMBLE A LOT! WHOO HOO!**

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**Rantai's POV**

_"Hey, you!"_

_The hushed and urgent whisper came from seemingly out of nowhere. I glanced over my shoulder at the crowded guild hall of Fairy Tail to see nothing out of the ordinary; I must've been imagining things._

_"Hey, over here!"_

_The voice whispered again, a little louder this time. I looked over my shoulder again in search of the voice. This time my eye caught a waving object, a hand, poking out from behind the bar at the guild, motioning me to come closer. I gave the spastic hand an unamused look._

_"Come on Rantai, you idiot, before someone sees me!"_

_I rolled my eyes. She obviously thought that she was being a little more discreet than she actually was. I seriously doubted that I had been the only one to recognize the hand that belonged to one of the most rambunctious mages in the guild. She was like a bull in a china closet._

_I obliged, looking around myself before pacing over to the bar and slipping behind it. The guild was oddly desolate, only a few members present. The only one even close to the bar being Macao who was passed out cold on the bar's surface, snoring away with a small puddle of drool slowly forming by his mouth._

_I slouched down into a crouching position and gave the owner of the hand a weary look._

_A grin was what I got in return before I was punched in the arm. "Observant much?"_

_Mirajane Strauss, extremely powerful mage, incredibly irritating at times, one of the best friends you could ever hope for, and the owner of the flailing hand. She laughed to herself, punching me in the arm one more time in hopes of wiping the frown off of my face before her features turned serious._

_"Okay, you ready?" she asked, giving me an ornery look, her fists on her hips._

_One of my eyebrows raised in suspicion. "Ready for what?"_

_She gave me another devil's grin and I swallowed thickly. What did she have in store this time?_

_I had only visited the very infamous Fairy Tail guild about a week ago and yet already I had gotten into enough trouble to last a lifetime, all thanks to Mira. Even though I had just been visiting and had no interest in joining the guild, we had hit if off instantly, our personalities somehow melding perfectly. She was inhumanly outgoing, I was calm; she was spunky, and I was refined. We were polar opposites and yet we had somehow become friends, mainly because we had bonded over one mutual interest we had. Pranks._

_Although the more she pulled practical jokes the more I came to believe our idea of pranks were very different. She usually went… overboard._

_"Oh come on, you downer, it'll be fun!" Mira squealed, turning to face the bar and slowly pulling herself up to its surface, just far enough so she could peek out into the guild._

_I sighed, silently hoping this time her plan wouldn't go awry before pulling myself up next to her in the exact same position._

_"So what're you doing this time, Rubber Ducky?" I asked with a smirk._

_"I told you not to call me that," she hissed, "codenames are supposed to be mysterious, not dorky."_

_I rolled my eyes before responding. "Alright, Black Falcon, what did you have in mind this time?"_

_She sent me a warning glare before turning her attention to a certain red haired mage in the guild. "I'm going to steal Erza's cake."_

_I sputtered out a surprised cough, my head whipping to Mira with disbelief. "What? Why? Do you even like cake?"_

_Mira shrugged nonchalantly, her gaze never wavering from the armor-clad re-quip mage across the room who was currently sitting at one of the guild's many tables, utensils placed perfectly around her as she delicately nibbled on a slice of strawberry cake._

_The prank seemed oddly tame, and I instantly became suspicious. "And what do I have to do with this?"_

_Mira's gaze finally broke from Erza as she turned to me with a charismatic smile, her eyes growing brighter with excitement. "All you have to do is distract her, I'll do the rest."_

_Distract her? She had to be kidding. Erza had senses like a wild cat and I seriously doubted that anything I would do would distract her enough to let Mira make her move. Before I had a chance to protest, Mira had, without a word, forcefully shoved me from behind the counter. I stumbled a few feet, catching my balance just in time to shoot her yet another pointed glare._

_Mira grinned back, mouthing a 'good luck' to me before nodding toward where Erza was still feasting. I sighed, smoothing out the wrinkles in my shirt before purposefully stalking forward. I made a mental note to find a way to punish Mira once this was all said and done._

_I made it to Erza's table in good time and stopped. The scarlet haired mage was delicately chewing her bite of the dessert, her eyes closed in pure concentration as if she was disarming a bomb._

_I blinked, waiting for her to notice my presence and when she didn't, I looked back over my shoulder again. Mira was still peeking over the bar, both her arms in the air as she violently signaled me to get Erza's attention. Mira was just not getting any more inconspicuous was she._

_I turned back to Erza reluctantly, awkwardly clearing my throat. That got her attention in record time and her eyes fluttered open, a scowl plastered on her lips. She obviously wasn't happy I had interrupted her._

_I realized in that moment that I hadn't thought of anything to start up a conversation with Erza about and mentally slapped myself on the forehead. Luckily, Scarlett was the first to speak up._

_"Hey, you're the new kid aren't you?" she asked, squinting at me as she slowly put the pieces together._

_I let out a painfully awkward laugh and scratched the back of my head sheepishly. "Yeah I guess you could say that."_

_Without any warning Erza stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly on the floor as she pushed it out. I cringed away as she stepped toward me. There were rumors of how scary she was, and I suddenly realized all of them were most likely true. Her gaze was piercing as she eyed me up and down, her mouth turned down as her eyes swept my figure._

_I gulped, wondering exactly what fault she had found in me before she roughly stuck out her hand. "Welcome to the guild," she said, her scowl immediately disappearing, replaced by a very sincere smile and accented by what I swore was a small giggle._

_A gust of air left my lungs as I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding. I made a mental note to never get on her bad side. I could only imagine what she looked like when she was truly angry._

_I took her hand and firmly shook it. "Thanks, but I'm not joining the guild."_

_As soon as the sentence left my mouth a flash of white caught my eye. My gaze flicked up and to my left and I nearly fainted. Perched in the rafters, staring down at us like a hungry lion, was Mira. Her hands grasped an electrical cord for dear life as she leaned forward, waiting for the perfect moment to swing. Sweet mother of god what was she doing?!_

_I forced my eyes back on Erza. It wasn't my problem if Mira killed herself trying to snatch a pastry. I repeated that fact over and over again in my mind as Erza continued our conversation._

_"You're not joining? Why are you here then?" she asked, her head cocking to the side in confusion._

_I waved my hand in the air as if to clear it, my eyes flitting up to Mira again before going back to Erza. "I made a few… friends, and so I'm just visiting for a while. I'll be leaving sometime soon."_

_Erza made a face but nodded. "I see, enjoy your time here. And if you are ever interested in joining we'd be happy to have you."_

_As Erza gave me another sickeningly sweet smile, Mira made her move. Like a swinging monkey she hurtled down on the wire, reaching down just enough to snatch the plate without hitting the table. Her trajectory was perfect and she made it up just far enough to land on a lower rafter on the opposite side of the guild._

_I had to use all the power I had not to gape at the action. Not only had she managed not to fall and take the entire electrical system with her, but she had successfully grabbed the cake without a sound. It was inhuman._

_I gave Erza a nod and stalked back over to the bar, ducking behind it quickly. My hands were balled into fists of anticipation as I waited for my white haired friend to arrive. It only took a few moments before she had shimmied down next to me, a Cheshire cat grin on her face and a half eaten slice of cake in her hands._

_"See, told ya," she said, sticking her finger into the cake and hungrily devouring the frosting on the digit._

_I gave her a disbelieving look, not sure whether I should reprimand her for her reckless actions or congratulate her on pulling off a freakishly impossible act. Well, impossible for anyone that wasn't Mira._

_Instead I decided to do neither and proposed a question. "So you stole the cake so you could eat it?"_

_"Oh," Mira said, holding a finger up in the air in remembrance. She hastily put the plate on the floor and turned around, again peering over the counter, her left hand grabbing my arm and yanking me up next to her. "Just watch."_

_I sighed, my eyes again transfixed on Erza. If I had thought she had looked mad when I had talked to her, she was far past enraged now. I swore I could see sparks flying out of her eyes and fangs protruding from her mouth. She whirled around, her eyes sweeping across the entire guild and landing on two of the louder mages, sitting at the table next to hers, chowing down on what looked to be a three course meal._

_"What have you done?!" I could hear Erza's threatening question all the way across the guild as she grabbed the two boys, one by the scarf, and the other by the necklace._

_"What?" they both shrieked in unison, their faces going pale at the tone of her voice._

_"Which one of you thought it would be funny to steal my cake?" she seethed, anger barely controlled in her voice._

_"It wasn't me!" the boys again said in perfect unison. The minute the statement had left their mouths they turned to each other with a glare._

_The mage on the left, Natsu, spoke up first. "Oy, own up to it, Ice Princess!"_

_Gray glared back. "No way Flame Brain, I didn't do it! Stop pushing your idiotic actions onto me!"_

_Natsu let out a battle cry before his fist was engulfed in flames, instantly making contact with Gray's face. The ice mage countered with a hammer made of ice to the Dragon Slayer's head. Erza let the two go, re-quipping a sword into each hand as the two boys lunged at each other and made it a full on brawl. She was involved only a second later as she charged at them. It was then a three-way battle. The few members in the guild looked toward the three fighting children with worry, slowly one by one making their way towards them in an attempt to break up the fight. And slowly one by one they were sucked in, the three person fight turning into a four person brawl, then five, then six._

_Pretty soon it had all gotten out of hand. Chairs being thrown in every direction along with glass mugs full of beer which shattered on the floor. Everyone had joined in, fighting with one another in a classic Fairy Tail guild move, well, all but Mira and I who were watching the scene from behind the safety of the bar counter._

_Mira burst out laughing a second later, collapsing onto the floor and clutching her stomach. "See, I told ya it'd be good," she cackled, wiping away a stray tear from her eye._

_Her laughter was contagious and as I heard Natsu yell, "Come at me, you snowman!" I couldn't hold back the laughter either, collapsing next to her as we both laughed without a care in the world._

_It had been perfect back then. I hadn't realized it until it was over, but it had been truly perfect. Mira had taught me what true fun was, what real friendship was, and what it felt like to let someone in. I had told her my darkest secrets and she had told me hers. We had caused trouble and helped one another. I had been her partner in crime and she had taught me some magic. It had been wonderful._

_I had thought those times would go on forever but they came to a screeching halt only two weeks after I had arrived at Fairy Tail. Mira had gone on a job with her two siblings. It was everyday stuff, nothing out of the ordinary, however the team had come back from the mission one person short._

_The day Mira and Elfman had returned without Lisanna was one of the most confusing days of my life. I had gotten close enough to the siblings to consider them good friends; however I wasn't close enough to grieve with them. Mira had slowly broken into pieces in the days after Lisanna had died. She spent more of her time crying than I had ever seen someone spend before. She was inconsolable._

_She had locked herself in her room for a week before anyone at the guild saw her again. She spent countless hours at Lisanna's grave, and slowly I began to see her change. The once gutsy and energetic girl I had known slowly began to fade. I had figured once the grieving process was over that Mira would return to her old self, however as time went on the more I realized she wouldn't._

_The determination she always had on her face was gone. That smirk she had shown me so many times was packed away, never to return. She went soft, her personality doing a 180 degree turn from the loss. She was quiet now, mild-mannered, and docile._

_Even though the Mira I had grown to care for had gone away I stayed for a while, for her sake. It took a while before one night I finally realized that it was time for me to go._

_Mira was sitting on her bed, her legs pulled into her chest as she sniveled to herself. I sat next to her awkwardly, not sure exactly how to comfort her. I had never been around someone who had been through a difficult loss, let alone someone I considered to be a close friend._

_Mira sniffed once more, reaching out and grabbing my hand. "Sorry," she said, hiccupping once before continuing. "I know this must not be any fun for you."_

_My eyes softened as she nestled her nose into the crook of her elbow, her other hand playing with my fingers idly. "Don't worry about it."_

_In all reality it hadn't been any fun. Days with Mira used to hold nothing but excitement and adventure, but now they were spent sitting, waiting, and watching. I was bored, but I didn't want to leave her in her state. I had planned on leaving Fairy Tail and moving on a long time ago, but somehow it didn't feel right to leave Mira when she was so vulnerable._

_Mira's head shot up and she turned to me with a jolt, her legs going criss cross and her grip tightening on my hand._

_"How about we go on a job!" she breathed, sniffing again and wiping her now bright eyes with the back of her free hand._

_Shock coursed throughout me and I leaned back a bit, trying to get a better look at her. "What? I'm not a member of Fairy Tail and you haven't used your magic in weeks," I said, disbelief evident in my tone. "It wouldn't be a good idea."_

_Mira shook her head, "We could take an easy one! It'd be fun! Something to take my mind off of things!"_

_I sighed, giving her a weary look. She hadn't used her magic in so long, and I had a sneaking suspicion that with the new personality change she wouldn't be anywhere near as strong as she used to be. There was no way I could see it being a good idea._

_Mira smiled up at me again. "So, Rantai," she said, squeezing my hand again, her blue eyes shining._

"Would you go on a job with me?"

The blue eyes and white hair of my good friend melted away, melding into a different girl sitting in front of me. Eveli. She had the exact same smile and look of excited anticipation on her face that Mira had had on that day. And in the end she had asked the exact same question.

I blinked rapidly, ridding my mind of the memories. I hadn't thought about Mira in years. A few weeks ago I had had an odd memory of my old friend and a constant picking feeling that I should go see her again. I considered myself in debt to her, not only because of all she had taught me, but because I owed her an apology for leaving her in the state she had been in.

It had taken me a surprisingly long time to find the Fairy Tail guild. Their old building was inhabited by a different organization and I had to ask numerous townspeople directions to the new guild hall. The search had taken me to the outskirts of Magnolia, out and into the country to an old worn down barn. The new Fairy Tail guild. I had been in disbelief when I had set eyes on it. Once the most respected guild for miles was now forced to reside in a ramshackle building with chickens pecking around on the front lawn.

What had surprised me even more was the fact that the moment I asked about Mira I had been hit with a ball of purple flames by a boy I didn't recognize. But what had surprised me the most was the news about where Mira and the others had gone. I wasn't sure if it hadn't sunken in yet or if I really _had_ lost all emotional attachment I had had to them. Confusion stayed where intense grief should have been. Missing. They were all missing. What the hell had happened there?

"Hellooo," Eveli sang, waving a hand in front of my face and successfully breaking me of my trance.

"Hm?" I asked, pushing myself back in my chair and forcing myself to sit upright.

Eveli gave me an odd look and her small pink Exceed rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I asked if you'd go on a job with me."

"Oh, that's right," I said, the gears in my brain slowly grinding into motion, just in time to screech to a halt again. I couldn't go on a job with this girl. I barely knew her, in fact, I had just met her. Not only that but I didn't go on jobs with other people, especially people from guilds. I was a wanderer and I intended it to stay that way.

I quickly tried to come up with an excuse. "Um, well, you see I'm not a member of this guild. I assume the master here wouldn't be inclined to let me go on a job with one of you," I said, motioning around myself.

Eveli smiled again. "Don't worry, Macao won't mind, as long as you're a nice guy I'm sure he'll be happy to have you do work for Fairy Tail."

I cocked an eyebrow. Really? A master who would let one of his members go out on a job with a stranger? Who was this guy?

I shook my head, "No, you see Little Princess, I don't _want _to be a member of the guild."

Eveli frowned for a moment, tapping a finger to her chin before shrugging. "I'll go ask him if it'd be alright even if you aren't a member!"

Before I had time to protest she had skipped out of her chair, sashaying toward a blue haired man sitting at the bar. She chattered away to the man with gusto, bouncing on her toes like a small child.

I tilted my head to the side. "Is it just me, or is she really… innocent… for her age?" I asked to no one in particular. There wasn't anyone but Eveli's pink Exceed still in the area.

The way she acted, the way she talked, the way she moved, everything about her screamed innocence. I was curious if she had ever really been out in the world on her own. Had she ever been clued in on the roughness and the impurities of life? Or was she flying high with ignorance in a little cloud of bliss?

"Yes, she is, lover boy and I intend to keep it that way."

The pointed words came from the cat perched on the table, scowling in my direction, her fur bristled and her claws once again visible.

I bypassed the snotty tone and the information given. I had assumed so; it had been more of a rhetorical question regarding Eveli's obliviousness. "Lover boy?" I questioned with an amused smirk.

Hikorai nodded, her pink ears flopping as she did so, "Why do you keep calling her 'little princess'? It's creepy, you barely know her."

I couldn't contain the one loud chuckle that escaped my mouth. "Don't worry, I call every girl that," I said, reaching out to ruffle the fur on top of the Exceed's head.

Hikorai hissed, her eyes going wide as she dug her nails into my hand and bit down hard.

I stifled a yelp of pain and instead balled my other hand into a fist.

"Hikorai! What are you doing?!" Eveli interrupted the punishment her small cat was administering on me and Hikorai immediately let go.

"But I-"

"That's not nice! There's no need to beat up on him!" Eveli interrupted, shaking her finger in disapproval, once again proving my theory of innocence by the look on her face. She looked like a small child telling their pet that chewing on the furniture was a no-no. My mouth turned down as I realized I'd be the furniture in my metaphor.

Eveli plopped down in her chair again, giving me an apologetic smile. "Sorry about her."

Hikorai looked up to Eveli with disbelief. It was obvious the small cat was shocked that her master would apologize for something that in her mind had been completely justified.

I shook my head to let her know everything was fine as I moved my hand about, making sure I still had full mobility.

"So I asked Macao and he said that it'd be just fine!" Eveli started, a grin stretching across her face as she bounced excitedly in her chair. "With the small size of Fairy Tail nowadays he is always open to having people go out on jobs, and in this case he said he'd be fine with it even if you aren't a part of the guild!"

Before I could again speak up on my behalf for the job, Hikorai turned to her master and frowned. "So you're seriously going to let this weirdo go out on a job with you!? Are you crazy?!" she asked, crossing her paws across her chest.

Eveli frowned down at her Exceed again, "Hikorai, I'm-"

Eveli's scolding tone was cut off short as the doors to the guild burst open, slamming against the walls on either side with loud bangs. I saw Eveli and Hikorai both jump slightly, turning toward the door hesitantly, almost as if they were expecting something.

I leaned to the side as two figures strutted into the guild, trying to get a better look at the two men. They were grubby, unkempt, and just an overall eyesore as they walked in, chests puffed out in pride as if they owned the place. I saw guild marks on their arms; they didn't belong to Fairy Tail.

"Oy, oh _Master_, we're here for your rent," the larger man grunted, making sure to put a tone of mocking and distaste on the word 'master'.

The blue haired man sitting at the bar counter that Eveli had spoken to cringed slightly before slipping out of his chair and wearily facing the men. "You know we don't have it," he muttered.

The smaller intruder feigned surprise, "What? Fairy Tail doesn't have our money? What a shame."

"Why don't you just leave already!?"

The loud shout took me by surprise as Eveli, a girl who had been relatively quiet since I had met her, stood up quickly, her hands balled into fists as she called out the two men. She was shaking. I didn't know who these intruders were but suddenly I didn't care for them either.

"Oh?" The larger man turned toward Eveli with a smirk, slowly sauntering over her way. "Looks like we have a protester," he said, grinning. "A cute one too." The minute the slurred words had left the man's mouth he reached out toward Eveli, roughly smacking her on the behind in a perverse gesture before trailing his hand down her thigh.

Any confidence Eveli had had was gone the instant he had touched her. She squeaked out in protest, a light tint of color sweeping across her face and tears springing to life in her now terrified eyes.

Everyone in the guild seemed to freeze and I had a feeling that that was the first time one of these men had actually harassed one of the members in that way. I felt a foreign feeling bubbling up in my chest as I watched the man look Eveli up and down hungrily, even having the audacity to flick his tongue out across his lips. I could've puked.

"YOU BASTARD!" Hikorai screeched. The small pink Exceed had apparently been stunned silent but had finally gained back her judgment. Wings popped out from her back, springing out to the sides just in time to launch herself into the air and hurtle toward the man. "KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY LITTLE GIRL!"

The man looked at Hikorai with disinterest as she dive-bombed him, holding out a large hand that successfully stopped the cat in her tracks. Hikorai's arms continued to flail, her claws nicking his hand here and there but not able to cause any real damage.

The feeling in my chest grew stronger. I couldn't exactly place what it was, but suddenly I was furious. How dare he lay a hand on a woman like that, let alone someone as innocent as Eveli. She needed to be protected.

I was surprised by my own thoughts. Where they had come from, I had no idea, but as I watched helplessly as Hikorai tried desperately to land a hit on the man something inside me snapped. Eveli had Hikorai to protect her, however a little Exceed's protection wasn't enough in a situation like this. She needed someone else, someone stronger, someone like…

My own thoughts stopped, an uncharacteristic growl escaping my lips as I violently stood up, my chair toppling over backwards behind me. That bastard was going to pay.

"Tattoo magic: Chains!" I barked, holding my arms out to the side. The artwork spiraling down both of my arms began to glow, lifting from my skin and turning to metal. I felt about ten pounds lighter as the chains finally dimmed, gravity taking effect as they fell into my hands.

It had taken me a long time to get used to my magic. Especially actually getting the tattoo to materialize. Many times I had gotten half way before the chains flickered dark and again absorbed into my skin. Mira had helped me with my magic, helped me enough so that I was able to master it on my own.

I pulled the chain taught in my hands, the metal jingling as the man glanced over at me with interest. With a swift move I swung the right side of the chain around, the sharp arrowhead at the end almost a blur as it sliced past both Eveli and Hikorai and buried itself in the man's arm. The moment it had found its destination I threw the other end, the chain wrapping around the man once and coming back to me almost like a trained snake.

I yanked hard, causing the man to spin in an attempt to keep the arrowhead from going deeper in his arm as he growled in pain, in the process backing away from Eveli. The chunk of metal finally broke loose from the man and I jerked the end I was holding, causing it to come back to me once again.

I readied myself for another round but the man held up his hand, shaking his head rapidly. "Fine, fine, we'll leave," he muttered. It was obvious no one in the guild had stood up to the men before, most likely in hopes of not starting a war between the two guilds. But I wasn't a Fairy so I supposed it didn't matter.

As the men shuffled out of the guild I felt dissatisfied. I wanted them to pay for the derogatory and perverted actions they had administered upon an unwilling Eveli.

I glanced up at the girl, my brain finally kicking into gear. What the hell was that? I had never felt that protective over anything or anyone before, so why her? Just the thought of the men made my blood boil. No one touched her. She would always remain unharmed.

My very strong and passionate thoughts took me by surprise. I quickly shook my head to rid it of the confusing thoughts as I turned my attention back to Eveli who was giving me a very timid smile.

I smiled back, draping the chain over my neck and letting the metal suck back into my skin, moving slightly as it positioned itself before halting completely. "You alright?" I asked.

Eveli's smile grew a little larger and she nodded.

"Hey listen, I don't know what you were trying to gain there but don't go thinking you're some kind of hero or something," Hikorai snorted, crossing her arms as she floated in the air idly. "I could've taken him by myself if given the time."

I chuckled, reaching out and again ruffling the Exceed's soft fur. "Of course you could've, Hiko-chan."

Before Hikorai could protest against her new nickname Eveli leaned forward, handing me a sheet of paper. I heard muffled whispers amongst the other members sitting in the guild as I took it from her, trying to make myself as small as possible as I could feel the pointed gazes from absolutely every member boring into me. I hoped I hadn't angered anyone in the guild; after all I had no idea what kind of relations they had with the men from the other guild.

I glanced down at the paper and realized it was a job request.

"So, you wanna go on a job with me?" Eveli asked quietly.

I had been one hundred percent ready to decline whatever offer she had given me, but after the odd confrontation I felt completely different. Eveli was sweet, innocent, and caring. She needed someone to protect her, someone who would watch out for her, and someone more than just a fluffy pink cat. She needed someone who would care about her well-being and be strong enough to protect it. She needed me. I would see to it that she would have all of those things and more. I had no idea what came over me when it came to Eveli, but for some reason I wasn't protesting against it.

I barely looked at the job before replying. "Yeah, sure, I bet it'll be fun!"

Eveli's face lit up in an instant. "Really?! Great!" Without another word she reached forward, grabbing my hand and pulling me around the table. She then proceeded to drag me across the room and to the blue haired man at the bar who I had figured out was most likely the current guild master.

"He said he'd like to go, Macao! I finally have someone to go with," Eveli said, her voice filled with determination and a slight hint of arrogance.

Macao hadn't really moved since the two men had entered the guild and looked at me with scrutinizing eyes. "I don't know who you are, son, and I'm not exactly happy you retaliated against those members from Twilight Ogre, but I approve of you going on a job with her. Just bring her back safely," he said, nodding toward Eveli.

I nodded, giving him a two fingered salute, "You bet I will, sir."

Macao looked at me carefully for a moment longer before nodding. "Alright, Eveli here has been clamoring to go on this job for some time but I told her she needed a partner, that of which she hasn't found until … apparently now." Macao cleared his throat before continuing. "It's a request I put up a long time ago when the Tenrou gang had… " he paused, pain flashing across his face before he continued, "When they all had disappeared. We know that a dark guild called 'Grimoire Heart' was involved, and we have reason to believe that one of their sister guilds, 'Astronomer's Ruin' might have some information about it. Therefore we would like a couple of members to infiltrate their guild and see what information they have."

I shrugged, it sounded easy enough.

Macao glared at me, "Apparently you haven't dealt with dark guilds before, boy. They're incredibly dangerous, not something to take lightly."

His eyes were steeled as he warned me and I took heed, giving him a nod of understanding. In all reality I had never come across a dark guild before, so I really didn't know what to expect.

Macao sighed, "Alright, if you two really want to do it, I'll brief you on it more in the morning and then you can set out."

Eveli squealed in excitement as Macao swiveled around on his bar chair, busying himself with his drink again.

"This is going to be so much fun!" she giggled, turning to a very unamused Hikorai with a smile that could shine light into even the hardest of hearts.

I smiled down at her, still satisfied with taking the job. Sure I didn't know her, and sure I wasn't a member of the guild, but something told me it was going to turn out just fine, and in the end I would be very glad I took it. Plus hearing about the fact that this dark guild might be associated with Mira and the rest's disappearances pulled me on board even more. Maybe we'd uncover something about them along the way.

I smiled, putting my hands on my hips and chuckling. Who would've thought that I'd be going on a job for an actual guild? Not me. But then again I hadn't known Eveli then, and something about her seemed to change my outlook on everything.

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**Me: REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3: Preperations

**Me: Omigosh, guys! Two chapters and FIIIVE reviews?! Thank you so much! *dances around***

**Hikorai: *ahem***

**Me: OH HEY! I actually finished a chapter on time! ERMAGERD!**

**Eveli: *smiles* Read and review, everyone!**

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**Hikorai's POV**

I huffed as I watched this Rantai boy smile down at my little girl. It was painfully clear to me that I'd have to try very, very hard to keep Eveli innocent on this trip. He was a nice boy, in all reality, and I'm sure we'd be good friends if it weren't for Eveli. He was very aware of my plan to keep Eveli from experiencing any more pain in life, although I don't think he understood. I shook my head; if course he didn't. He hadn't had to stand in a corner helplessly as she was forced to strip down in front of all her former guild members and endure a beating that would have left any other 16 year old girl crying and begging for a way back in. He hadn't had to watch her cry through the night as the knife wound on her forehead was slowly mended through some much-needed magic from a friend. He hadn't had to watch as she transformed from a giddy, young 15 year old to a somber, spiteful 18 year old, knowing there was almost nothing he could do.

I did everything in my power to keep her innocent, trying my best to keep from hurting her more. Eveli was a diamond in the ruff; she was about as hard to break, as well. But I knew this day would come, and I couldn't bear the thought of her breaking under the pressure. My little girl is a people-pleaser, and she would love to do anything you wanted, just to be with you. She's changed now, but I've restored a lot of her former joy and happiness. As long as she's happy, I'm happy. Speaking of...

I looked over at Rantai. He seemed to notice and squirmed uncomfortably. I snorted; maybe he wasn't as tough as I'd hoped.

"What?" He asked, looking at me with a confused expression. I crossed my arms and looked away.

"You know Hiko-chan, we're going to have to at least try to get along," He commented. I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, and what makes you think that, lover boy?" I huffed sorely. He chuckled and stretched.

"Well, Little Princess seems overjoyed at the prospect of this job, and judging by the fact that your Master wouldn't let her go alone, I'm assuming it's going to be more than a day's work," He reasoned. I narrowed my eyes; unfortunately, he made sense. Macao would never hesitate to send someone on a mission without a guide unless it was dangerous, although he did seem to be rather cautious with Eveli. No one could blame him. We all were. After all she'd been through, she was just looking for a place to call home, a place where the people would care for her. Fairy Tail wasn't the strongest guild around, in fact, they were the weakest. But that didn't matter to Eveli. All she wanted was a family and a place to come home to, and I was bound and determined to give it to her, no matter the costs to myself or my pride. I stared long and hard at Rantai. He was polite, protective, and gentle with Eveli. I humphed.

"If only to make Eveli happy. Fine." I made an effort to make every word as sharp as I could, just to initiate I was doing that for Eveli, and Eveli only.

"Make me happy? Hikorai, I couldn't be happier!" The air was suddenly squeezed from my lungs as my little girl enveloped me in her arms with a giggle. She rubbed her cheek against mine before looking over at Rantai.

"So, do you have anywhere to stay, Rantai?" She asked, not even slightly aware of what she may have been implying. His eyes widened slightly before he realized she hadn't meant it in a weird way and he shrugged.

"I'll find somewhere, I always do," He said nonchalantly. I smacked a paw to my face; I knew what was coming next.

"Why don't you stay with Hikorai and me?" Eveli asked cheerily. My claws unsheathed and a growl escaped my throat, earning me a rap on the head from my master. "Don't mind her, she takes a while to get used to!" Eveli chuckled, rubbing my head. I crossed my arms, waiting for the eager YES that came from almost all the males Eveli had tried to go on jobs with. Instead...

"Oh no, I couldn't. I'll be fine, little princess, don't worry about me." I looked up at the redhead in surprise. That almost never happened, especially when the boy had nowhere to go. Eveli was definitely attractive and she'd been told so, not only by the Twilight Ogre jerk a couple minutes previously, but also by current and former guildmates. Males hardly refused when she offered to sleep in the same room with them, because our apartment was so small. And yet, he'd refused, just like that. He hadn't commented at all on her looks, only on her behavior, which I suppose would be rather odd wherever you went. Maybe he was different...I shook my head to clear out of the thought. Of course he wasn't, I was just being naïve. All human males were the same. They only thought of themselves, and that was what I had to protect Eveli from. The last thing she needed in her life was some jerk who pretended to care and then broke her heart.

"Oh, c'mon, it'll be fun!" Eveli said, her brown eyes twinkling with mischief. Rantai looked down at her and his face registered shock before he shook his head and looked back down at my little girl with a light smile.

"I'm more of a lone wolf type, in all honesty," he confessed.

"Even lone wolves can learn to work with a group if it's for their benefit." The words escaped my mouth before I could stop them, but I did restrain myself from clapping my paw over my mouth, making seem like I meant to say that. Rantai looked down at me in disbelief but it slowly morphed to a gentle, albeit reluctant smile.

"I suppose I could use somewhere to stay, just for tonight," He trailed off, looking towards the ceiling. I sighed; on one hand, now I wouldn't have to hear Eveli whine about it for the next day and a half, but now I'd have to keep a much closer eye on both of them to make sure nothing happened. Because, although Eveli was oblivious, he was _not._

"Yay!" Eveli cheered gleefully. "Right now, I've gotta get back to work but we'll talk later, okay? Hikorai will keep you company!" Eveli said, setting me down. Before either of us could protest, she'd scampered off to the back to wash the dishes that always seemed to keep piling up. I glared at Rantai and he tried to avoid my gaze.

"Lovely company," we both muttered. His eyes snapped over to meet mine and I looked away.

"You may have won Eveli over, but it's going to be a long time before _I_ like you, lover boy," I said sharply. I heard him sigh in response.

"I can see that." He turned to face me. "I mean her no harm, Hikorai. I want to protect her, just like you do." I stopped him short.

"Don't think you understand why I protect Eveli! She's not just my master, she's my best friend! So, I suggest you think twice before you try to understand!" I snapped at him, my paws balling into fists at my sides. He furrowed his brow at me and I recrossed my arms, sitting down on the table with a huff. And so we sat, not at all reveling in the others' company. He had given up trying to talk to me, which was fine by me. A couple hours passed, mostly of silence and idle thought. There were more people than there were normally, and both Kinana and Eveli had to go about serving, despite the fact that our guild really had about eighteen members.

"Is it normally this...empty?" Rantai asked, I guess directed at me.

"Actually, this is a surprising amount of people. All three Connells and Romeo-kun are back, Jet and Droy have been moping around here for days, and Laki has been here for the last couple of days." I said. I shrugged. "Compared to the norm, this is a crowd."

"Really?" Rantai asked curiously, peering at me. I sighed and nodded, looking down at the table.

"Fairy Tail's not what it used to be," he muttered. I shook my head.

"It's not. Even when Eveli and I had just gotten here, it was normally more crowded. It's changed drastically, for the worse, may I add," I huffed, putting my arms in my kimono sleeves, much like my cousin, Carla. Rantai opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a shout and the crashing of lots of glass.

"I remember!" The voice could have only been Eveli and, almost as a reflex, I popped my wings out and glided over to her. She was behind the counter, her knuckles turning white, she gripped the countertop so hard. I landed a couple feet from her and walked over, concerned.

"Eveli? What do you remember?" I asked. She looked up at me and blew some of her deep blue bangs out of her face before answering.

"I-My vision! It was really, really cold, on top of a mountain somewhere." She pressed a hand to her temple where her scar was, an eye squinted in pain. She shook her head sadly.

"That's it...I'm sorry..." She whimpered.

"No, now we know to send more Mages with you if you ever set off for a mountain, Eveli!" Wakaba joked. He nudged Macao with a chuckle. "Remember that time Natsu had to bring you back from Mt. Hakobe, Macao?" He asked amicably. I waited for the outburst of how Wakaba never called him Master, but there was nothing. Macao seemed like he hadn't even heard Wakaba. I cast my eyes down; it was obvious the effect of the Tenrou gang's disappearance had on Macao. It had affected him more than anyone else in the guild, because he took over for Makarov and had to try and run this failing guild, and it was well known how close he, Cana, and Wakaba had been. Not so well known, however, was how close he and Natsu were.

Everyone knew that Romeo-kun was like a little brother to the pink haired Dragon Slayer, even newbies like Eveli and I. But, little did most people know, Macao was kind of like Natsu's father. Nothing the Fire Mage could do would replace Natsu's dragon, of course, but still, Macao helped Natsu in many ways, mostly behind the scenes work of trying to control his temper, which would help him control his fire. Macao was heartbroken beyond any belief and had been completely inconsolable for weeks, locking himself into a room and sobbing (or so Wakaba says) when the guild was told of Tenrou's disappearance. I never spoke of it, out of respect for everyone in the guild, but I knew Eveli was itching to talk about it. She told me she discovered something through a short vision, but that she couldn't tell me until we could get out by ourselves, which almost never happened. Suddenly, I was anticipating this job; if her vision had anything to do with the Tenrou gang's disappearance, we could finally talk about it, as Rantai had little to no connection to anyone on Tenrou and probably wouldn't mind hearing about what happened anyways.

"Hikorai." I felt a tug on my sleeve and looked at Eveli, whose eyes were sparkling with excitement.

"We're so close!" She did a little happy dance in place and looked at a clock we had in the hall. She bounced on her toes eagerly as the second hand moved ever closer to the twelve, where it would turn five, the time she technically got off work. She bit her lip as it counted ten...nine...eight...seven...

"C'mon, c'mon..." She murmured. Four...three...two...one. The second hand hit the twelve and Eveli let out a squeal of excitement as she jolted from place, jumping over the counter and running over to Rantai. He seemed startled by her sudden outburst and let out a sound of shock when she grabbed his wrist and tugged on it. She was about halfway to the town, Rantai in tow, when Macao called out to her.

"Eveli! Your pay!" He shouted after her. She turned back and, cupping her hands beside her mouth, shouted, "Keep it! C'mon, Hikorai!" I couldn't stifle the smile on my face as I popped out my wings, flying to my little girl. She'd taken off running again, this time without Rantai (although he chased her anyways), and I had to pour on a little speed to catch up.

"Eveli, wait for me!"

O.o.O.o.O

** Eveli's POV**

I woke up very, very slowly. My arm was cold. Like, reeealy cold. I looked over to see my arm dangling off the edge of the bed. Curious, I looked over the edge of my small bed with a yawn and saw a redhead laying on the floor beside my bed, still fast asleep, and his fingers were intwined with mine. Not just any redhead; this was my new partner, Rantai. I felt a smile grace my face. Hikorai was always and forever an early riser, so I didn't normally wake up before anyone else. I rolled over into my side, being careful not to move my hand, and propped my head up with my free arm.

He looked so peaceful, something I'm sure would vanish once I woke him. His hand was warm and I just lay there, staring at him. It made me a little sad to wake him but I knew he would probably be upset if I didn't. I groaned. I didn't want to wake him! I guess he was having a good dream, because there was a small smile playing on his lips. I sighed and slipped my hand from his grasp. His eyes snapped open so fast it was scary. He sat up, immediately looking over to me. Once he saw me, he relaxed a bit.

"G'morning, Rantai!" I said cheerfully, relaxing a bit myself now that he was awake. He stretched, sitting up, and smiled.

"Good morning, Little Princess," he answered through a yawn.

"Ne, ne, good mornings all around," Hikorai said. I jumped; I hadn't heard her come in and she startled me. Apparently she startled Rantai as well, because he jumped a little, too. A smile crossed her face.

"So Eveli, do you know what day it is?" She asked teasingly. I blinked, trying to get my brain working. Working...Then it hit me.

"We're going on the job today!" I let out a squeal of excitement before vaulting off the bed, over Rantai and just before Hikorai, hitting the ground running for the guild.

"Eveli! You're still in your pajamas!" I heard Hikorai shout after me.

"Who cares?!" I turned around, shouting back.

"Get back here and get dressed before you go charging off like a bull in a china closet!"

"Buuutttt-"

"No buts! Now, Eveli!" I groaned and trudged back to my house unhappily.

"Meanie," I said as I passed Hikorai. I trudged into my room, closing and locking the door, just in case. I huffed. Rantai just had to mess around with his hair a little and was free to go, but I had to get dressed, and comb my hair, and nananananaNA! I sighed; Hikorai might nag me to death, but I knew it was because she was looking out for me. I stripped off my nightshirt and put on a bra and some underwear. I rifled through my closet, finally settling on a stripey blue and green shirt with some dark blue capris that covered all of my legs down to right above my ankle. I ran a brush through my mildly messy dark blue hair, nearly poking myself in eye several times. After all that was successfully done, I walked back out to my living room and did a single twirl for Hikorai. I looked at my pink Exceed in anticipation. As soon as she said it was good, I was free to jet. She nodded and popped out her wings.

"Area: Max Speed!" With that, she went zooming past both me and Rantai, laughing like a young kitty.

"NO FAIR! YOU GOT A HEAD START!" I shouted after her, my feet hardly making contact with the pavement as I ran. She ignored me, but slowed down a little. I could hear Rantai's heavy footsteps following quickly behind me and glanced over my shoulder. He was hot on our tails and hardly seemed to be breaking a sweat. Which only encouraged me to faster. I raced up the hill to where my ramshackle guild sat, just waiting for someone to burst through the doors. As I approached the guild, I saw Hikorai floating idly, surveying me and Rantai make our way up the hill. She was smiling,a rare occurrence even around me, let alone around strangers. I finally made it to the top and waited for Rantai, anxiously bouncing on my toes. When he got close enough, I just grabbed his wrist and threw open the doors.

"MACAO!" I swear every eye in the guild turned our way. I grinned, too excited to care. My gaze was set firmly on the Master, who turned around in his chair to look at the three of us with a hint of amusement.

"We're ready for our job!" I looked up at Rantai, letting go his wrist. He smiled down at me.

"I'm ready when you are, Little Princess." I giggled and looked back at Macao. He sighed.

"I hope you three know what you're getting yourselves into," he said, a warning in his tone. I brushed it aside.

"Tell us about the job, Master!" I said, bowing for extra emphasis. Macao rubbed a spot above his eyebrow and motioned us over. I bit my lip to hold back a squeal and skipped over, Rantai and Hikorai not far behind.

"If you three are intent upon going-" I was already nodding.

"We are, Macao," Rantai said. Macao nodded slowly.

"Very well. Hikorai?" He turned to my fluffy, pink Exceed to ask her opinion.

"Well, someone had to keep these two in line," she said with a small smile. I smiled at and looked back at Macao. He set his drink on the table and turned his full attention to us.

"Like I said yesterday, it involves Grimoire Heart's sister guild, Astronomer's Ruin. Grimoire Heart was almost completely disbanded after..." He swallowed hard. "After Acnologia destroyed Tenroujima. However, I recently discovered at a tavern in town that Astronomer's Ruin has one or two previous members on their attendance list. I've also heard, second or thirdhand, of course, that two previous members, Ultear Milkovich and Meredy, whose last name we don't know, have been spotted with a man called Jellal around the place. We'd like for someone else to go investigate..." He trailed off, looking at me. I felt my hands ball into fists.

"I was an S-Class Mage in Sabertooth after being there for exactly a year and a half; I was eleven, Master, you know that. I'm plenty strong enough and you know it." My tone was icy and I was thinking about saying something else when I felt Hikorai's fluffy paw on my shoulder. She was looking at me with concern.

"Are you okay, Eveli?" She asked lowly. I blinked a couple times then nodded.

"Aye. I'm sorry Master, that was uncalled for." I hung my head. "Please continue." Luckily, Macao was used to my little lapses and was shortly back on track.

"Yes, well, anyways, these three Mages are all very powerful, possessing three different Lost Magics. They are very dangerous, and I will ask you to not even look for them while in the vicinity," Macao said firmly. I nodded quickly.

"Of course. Is that all, Master?" I asked anxiously. He nodded reluctantly.

"I suppose..." He looked at Rantai, his eyes steeled.

"You'd better keep good on your promise, son. If you don't, you'll have the entirety of Fairy Tail after you. That hasn't changed." I looked back at Rantai, confused. He just nodded.

"Of course, sir. I keep my promises," Rantai said. Macao nodded.

"Well, you two had better get going then, right? Astronomer's Ruin is a long ways away and a head start would help," Macao advised. I smiled gratefully.

"Aye, Master!"

* * *

** Me: Yay! I think I covered everything I wanted to in this chapter...*looks at a checklist* So, now it's back to you, Foxtail-sama!**


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